Permanently sealed containers and end caps therefor

ABSTRACT

Improved thermoplastic containers which normally are permanently scaled and which have end caps thereon which, upon being threadedly manipulated, are operable to open the containers.

United States Patent 1191 Komendowski Jan. 8, 1974 [54] PERMANENTLY SEALED CONTAINERS 2,592,806 4/1952 Jeffery 222/81 AND END C THEREFOR 3,151,777 10/1964 Rooney 222/541 3,401,819 9/1968 Salamone 220/48 [75] Inventor: Henry Komendowski, Evanston, Ill. [73] Assignee: Automatic Liquid Packaging, Inc., FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Elk Grove Village, Ill. 1,246,832 10/1960 France 220/48 [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1971 Prima ExaminerGe0r e E. Lowrance 21 A l.N..l92 27 ry g pp 0 ,1 Attorney-Dominik et a1.

[52] 11.8. C1 220/27, 215/51, 220/39 R, 220/48, 222/81 51 1111. c1 B65d 17/00, B65d 51/20 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 220/27, 47, 4 8, 39 R; Improved thermoplastic containers which normally 222/81 21551 are permanently scaled and which have end caps thereon which, upon being threadedly manipulated, [56] References cued are operable to open the containers.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,317,420 4/1943 Taylor 220/27 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PAIENTED JAN 8 3 784, 045

sneer 1 or 3 FIG. 1

37 WU"?! 3e 32 i I M 1 F I G 4 //v VENTOR Henry Komen dowsk/ ATTYS.

PATENTED 8974 3.784.045

SHEU 2 0F 3 INVENTOR Henry Komendowsk/ ATTZS.

PAIENTED JAN 81974 sum 3 or 3 8 4 5 F 8 4 Fl 4 m .fi F 23 55 l wh w j J N l. LJEII/M 7 F w w 7 g M w 4 0 7 5 4 5 5 I a w 7 P10 Mill 2 F I 4 5% I O 8 m 6 w 5 w 6 w n FIG. 12

FIG. 11

//v v5 rv TOR Henry Komendowsk/ ATTYS.

PERMANENTLY SEALED CONTAINERS AND END CAPS THEREFOR This invention relates, generally, to improved thermoplastic containers which normally are permanently sealed and which have end caps thereon which, upon being threadedly manipulated, are operable to open the containers to permit the contents thereof to be dispensed.

A whole host of different types of products presently are being packaged or bottled in thermoplastic containers and, in many cases, these containers are permanently sealed. The reasons for sealing the containers are varied, however, in most cases, they are permanently sealed simply to prevent spillage or sampling of the product before its sale. In still other cases, the containers are sealed to prevent the product from being contaminated. These plastic containers can be sealed using numerous different methods, however, when the product is to be bottled under sterile conditions, in many cases the containers are formed, filled and sealed, all in one continuous, automatic operation.

Normally, containers of this type are of a rather tough or elastic thermoplastic material so that, in the majority of cases, a knife or other similar instrument must be used to sever a portion of the container, or to puncture them, to dispense the product therein. While the necessity of opening these containers in this fashion is not completely objectionable or a deterrent to their use, it is far more desirable to have means associated with the container whereby the latter can be easily opened without the need of such instruments.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved thermoplastic container which is normally permanently sealed and has an end cap threadedly affixed thereon which, upon being threadedly manipulated, is operable to open the container to permit the contents thereof to be dispensed.

Another object is to provide such a container having an end cap threadedly affixed thereon in a fashion such that the end cap cannot be removed without opening the container, whereby the end cap cannot be inadvertently or intentionally removed and the container is automatically opened when the end cap is threadedly manipulated to remove it.

Still another object is to provide such a container having an end cap of the above type, the latter being adapted to forcibly sever a sealed cap portion on the neck portion of the container. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a similar type end cap is adapted to sever the sealed cap portion by cutting it.

A still further object is to provide a container having a neck portion which is permanently sealed and which has a first portion which has coarse threads thereon, and a second portion which has fine threads thereon, the first portion being severed from the container when a similarly threaded end cap is threadedly manipulated to screw it onto the neck portion of the container.

A still further object is to provide a container and an end cap of the latter type wherein the end cap is adapted to retain therein the portion of the container which is severed therefrom.

Still another object is to provide a container and an end cap of the above type wherein the end cap is adapted to reseal the container after the latter has been opened.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side plan view of an end cap exemplary of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial side plan view of a container exemplary of the type which normally is permanently sealed and can be opened with the end cap of FIG. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial side plan view of still another container which normally is permanently sealed and which is adapted to be opened by the end cap of FIGS. 1 and FIG. 5 is a partial side plan view of the container of FIG. 3 having the end cap of FIG. 1 thereon, the latter being in section to illustrate the manner in which the end cap normally is threadedly affixed to the container;

FIG. 6 is a view generally like FIG. 5, however, illustrating the end cap after it has been threadedly manipulated to sever a hole in the top wall of the neck portion of the container;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an end cap exemplary of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a partial view of a thermoplastic container I which normally is permanently sealed and which has the end cap of FIG. 7 threadedly affixed thereto;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of still another end cap generally like the end cap of FIG. 7, however, the same having a cutting blade fixedly secured therein;

FIG. 10 is a partial side plan view of still another thermoplastic container which normally is permanently sealed;

FIG. 11 is a partial side plan view of the container of FIG. 10, with an end cap threadedly affixed thereto, said end cap upon being threadedly manipulated providing an opening in said container through which the product can be dispensed; and

FIG. 12 is a partial side plan view of the container of FIG. 4, with another type of end cap illustrated thereon, in section, for severing a portion of the container for providing an opening therein.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 an end cap 10 exemplary of a first embodiment of the invention is illustrated having an exterior surface 11 which is preferably cylindrical-shaped, however, it can be virtually any shape desired. This exterior surface 1 I, particularly if it is cylindrical-shaped, can be serrated to provide a better gripping surface. Interiorly it has a neck cavity 12 formed with coarse threads 13, both of which are correspondingly formed and proportioned to threadedly receive therein at least a part of the neck portion of the container, such as the neck portion 21 of the container 20 shown in FIG. 3, or the neck portion 31 of the container shown in FIG. 4.

The top wall 15 of the end cap 10 has an annular portion 25 which is of a smaller diameter than the neck cavity 12 and which projects downwardly within the neck cavity 12 in a fashion such as to form a sealing cavity 19 in the form of an annular groove between the side walls of the neck cavity 12 and the annular portion 25. A bore 14 extends through the annular portion 25,

and has a threaded portion 16 which is finely threaded therein, substantially centrally of the length of the bore 14. The annular portion 25 and the bore 14 both are coaxially aligned with the neck cavity 12. Above the upper end of the threaded portion 16 is another sealing cavity 17 which is generally in the form of an annular recessed groove. A similar annular recessed groove 18 is formed below the threaded portion 16, and this groove 18 in combination with an upwardly sloping end 26 on the resulting depending annular flange of the annular portion 25 forms a cutting blade 27.

The end cap preferably and advantageously is molded of a rigid plastic material, however, it can be of any suitable material which will permit it to function in the manner described below, in opening a plastic container to permit the contents thereof to be dispensed. The manner in which the end cap 10 functions in opening a container can best be understood by referring to FIGS. 3, S and 6.

In FIG. 3, the illustrated plastic container 20 has a body portion 22 (only partially shown) and a neck portion 21 which is integrally formed thereon. The neck portion 21 is provided with coarse threads 23 which, as indicated above, threadedly engage with the coarse threads 13 in the neck cavity 12 of the end cap 10. The neck portion 21 terminates with an inverted coneshaped tip 28 having an annular portion 29 which is provided with a threaded portion 24 having fine threads to threadedly engage with the threaded portion 16 in the bore 14 of the end cap 10. This tip 28 permanently seals the container 20, and it has a small ballshaped tip 33 on its end which may be snipped off to dispense drops or a thin stream of the product from the container 20.

With this container 20, the end cap 10 is threadedly engaged thereon, by threading the neck portion 21 into the neck cavity 12 in the end cap 10. The cone tip 28 extends through the bore 14 and, as can be best seen in FIG. 5, the end cap is threaded down so that the threaded portion 16 threadingly engages with the threaded portion 24 on the tip 28, but not so that the cutting blade 27 cuts into the top wall of the neck portion 21. The container 20 is stored and/or shipped with the end cap 10 threadedly affixed to it in this manner.

To open the container 20, the end cap is threaded onto the neck portion 21, until the cutting blade 27 engages and cuts through the top wall of the neck portion, as shown in FIG. 6. As the cutting blade 27 severs the top wall, it can be seen that a portion of the top wall is folded over and forcibly urged within the sealing cavity 19, thus effectively sealing the container 20 to prevent leakage. The cone tip 28 is threadedly engaged in the bore 14 of the end cap 10 and is thus held therein. It also may be noted that the side walls of the cone tip are deformed and forcibly urged into sealing engagement in the sealing cavity 17 in the end cap 10, thus leakage also is prevented between the side walls of the cone tip and the bore 14.

The end cap 10 now can be unscrewed to remove it from the container to dispense the product. In doing so, the cone tip 28 is removed along with the end cap 10, since it is threadedly secured within the bore 14.

The container 20 is particularly applicable for applying the permanent wave lotion in home kits to womens hair. Normally, the container contains one: solution which must be mixed with a second solution before use. These two solutions usually are supplied separately to prevent their deterioration before use. In such an application, the end cap 10 first is manipulated in the manner described above to cut a hole in the top wall of the neck portion. The end cap 10 then is removed from the container to permit the second solution to be poured into the container. The end cap 10 then is rethreaded onto the neck portion 21, to secure it to the container. The product in the container now can be dispensed through the cone tip 28, by merely snipping off the ballshaped tip 33. 7

Referring now to FIG. 4, the illustrated container 30 has a body portion 32 which terminates with a neck portion 31 having coarse threads 34 thereon. The neck portion 31, or more specifically, the container 32, is permanently sealed with an end closure 36 having an annular side wall 37 and a hemispherical-shaped top 38.

This container 30 is adapted to receive the end cap 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2, in generally the same fashion as the container 20 of FIG. 3. Initially, the end cap 10 is affixed to the container 30 by threading its neck por tion 31 into the neck cavity 12 of the end cap 10. The end cap 10 is threaded down until the cutting blade 27 engages but does not cut into the top wall of the neck portion 31. When it is desired to open the container 30, the end cap 10 is threaded onto the neck portion 31 until the cutting blade 27 severs a hole in the top wall of the neck portion 31. As in the case of the container 20, a portion of the top wall of the neck portion 31 is forcibly urged into the sealing cavity 19 to thereby seal the container against leakage. Also, the annular side wall 37 of the end closure 36, while not provided with threads, is sufficiently resilient so that the threaded portion 16 in the bore 14 of the end cap 10 is forcibly threaded onto the annular side wall 37. In this fashion, the end closure 36 is secured within the bore 14 of the end cap 10, to thereby seal the end cap 10 from leakage through the bore 14. When the end cap 10 is unthreaded or unscrewed from the container 30, the end closure 36 is removed along with the end cap, leaving the opening provided in the top wall of the neck portion 31 by the cutting blade 27. The product can be dispensed from the container through this opening. To reseal the container 30, the end cap 10 is merely again threadedly affixed to the neck portion 31 of the container.

In FIG. 7, there is illustrated still another end cap 40 exemplary of another embodiment of the invention. This end cap 40 has a neck cavity 41 therein which is provided with coarse threads 42. The neck cavity 41 is in the form of a bore which extends completely through the end cap 40, and the upper end of the neck cavity 41 terminates with an annular cap cavity 43. The side walls of the neck cavity 41 and the lower wall of the cap cavity 43 are formed to provide a shoulder 44 which is operable to remove an. end closure cap from a container, in the manner described more specifically below.

In FIG. 8, there is disclosed still another containr 45 having a neck portion 46 with threads 47 thereon. The neck portion 46, and hence the container 45, is permanently sealed by an end closure cap 48 which is integrally fixed to the latter by means of a reduced diameter neck portion 49.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, the end cap 40 of FIG. 7 is threadedly affixed to the container 45, by threading its neck portion 46 into the neck cavity 41 of the end cap. The reduced diameter neck portion 49 permits the end cap 40 to be securely threaded onto the neck portion, by providing a seat for the shoulder 44.

To open the container 45, the end cap 40 is unscrewed and, when the shoulder 44 engages beneath the larger diameter end closure cap 48, the shoulder 44 forcibly severs the end closure cap 48 from the container 45, as the end cap is threaded off the neck portion 46 of the container.

In FIG. 9, there is illustrated still another end cap 50 having a neck cavity 52 therein provided with coarse threads 53 so as to receive the neck portion of a container, such as the neck portion 46 of the container 45. The end cap 50 has a closed top wall 54 and at a spaced distance beneath the top wall 54 interiorly of the neck cavity 52 there is provided an annular cutting blade 51 which projects outwardly into the neck cavity 52. This cutting blade 51 may be of metal or a rigid plastic separately formed and force fitted into an annular groove provided in the side wall of the neck cavity 52.

The end cap 50 is adapted to open a container like the container 45, and is threadedly affixed to the neck portion thereof to affix it to the container. In threading the end cap 50 onto the neck portion 46, the end cap 50 is threaded down until the cutting blade 51 snap-fits past the larger diameter end closure cap 48 and is positioned below it. Now, when the end cap 50 is unscrewed from the container 45, the cutting blade 51 engages beneath the larger diameter end closure cap 48, and severs the latter from the reduced diameter neck portion 49, by cutting it. The arrangement is also such that the cutting blade 51 retains the end closure cap 48 within the end cap 50.

Referring now to FIGS. and 11, there is illustrated still another container 55 having a body portion 56 having a neck portion 57 integrally formed therewith and normally permanently sealing the container 55. The neck portion 57 is formed of a finely threaded neck portion 58 and a coarsely threaded neck portion 60 which are spaced apart from one another by a smaller diameter neck portion 62. Fine threads 59 are formed on the finely threaded neck portion 58, and coarse threads 61 are formed on the coarsely threaded neck portion 60.

The end cap 65 for opening the container 55 is shown in FIG. 11 and it can be seen that this end cap 65 includes a first neck cavity 66 having fine threads 67 formed therein. This neck cavity 66 and the fine threads 67 are proportioned to threadingly receive the finely threaded neck portion 58 of the container 55. Coaxially formed with the neck cavity 66 is another neck cavity 68 having coarse threads 69 provided therein. This neck cavity 68 and the coarse threads 69 likewise are proportioned to receive the coarsely threaded neck portion 60 of the container 55.

Initially, the end cap 65 is threadedly affixed to the container 55 until a portion of the fine threads 67 within the neck cavity 66 threadingly engage with the fine threads 59 on the finely threaded neck portion 58 of the container. In this respect, the end cap 65 should only be threaded onto the container 55 until some resistance in threading the end cap onto it is encountered. At this time, the end cap 65 is threadedly fixed to the container 55, and the container can be stored and/or shipped with the end cap affixed to it in this fashion. I

To open the container 55, the end cap 65 is threaded down. In doingso, the neck portion 60 of the container 55, of course, is threaded through the end cap 65 at a much faster rate than the neck portion 58 is threaded into the neck cavity 66. The effect of this action in threading the end cap 65 onto the container will be to cause the neck portion of the container to be severed from the neck portion 58 thereof, generally within the area defined by the smaller diameter neck portion 62. In other words, the neck portions 58 and 60 of the container 55' are forcibly pulled apart, as the end cap is threaded onto the container 55.

When the end cap 65 is removed from the container 55, by unthreading it from the neck portion 58, the severed neck portion 60 is retained within the end cap 65. Once the end cap 65 is removed, the contents of the container 55 can be dispensed through the opening resulting in the smaller diameter neck portion 62 of the container.

In FIG. 12, there is illustrated another end cap 70 which is adapted to open the container 30 of FIG. 4. The end cap 70, in this case, has a neck cavity 71 which is threaded and correspondingly proportioned to receive the neck portion 31 of the container 30. The upper portion of the neck cavity 71 terminates in an upwardly tapered side wall section 72, and an annular shaped cutting blade 73 is fixedly secured to the latter.

The positioning of the cutting blade 73 is such that the latter, when the end cap 70 is threaded onto the neck portion 31 of the container 30 cuts into the top wall of the neck portion 31, thereby severing the end closure 36 from the container. The positioning of the cutting blade 73 is also such that the severed end closure 36 is retained within the end cap 70, by the cutting blade.

Upon removing the end cap 70 from the container 30, the contents of the container can be dispensed through the opening provided in the top wall of its neck portion 31.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and certain changes may be made in the above product. Accordingly, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description (or shown in the accompanying drawings) shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a thermoplastic container having a body portion, a first neck portion and a second neck portion integrally formed with said first neck portion and having an end closure on it which normally permanently seals said container, one of said first and second neck portions having fine threads on it and the other one thereof having coarse threads on it, an end cap threadedly secured to said container having a neck cavity with a finely threaded portion and a coarsely threaded portion in it for receiving said first and second neck portions, the construction being such that said second neck portion and said end closure on it are severed to provide an opening into said container when said end cap is screwed down.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said first and said second neck portions are coupled together with a reduced diameter neck portion integrally formed therewith, said reduced diameter neck portion being severed when said end cap is screwed down to sever said second neck portion from said first neck portion.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said second neck portion is of a smaller diameter than said first neck portion and the portions of said neck cavity in said end cap receiving them are correspondingly sized, whereby said end cap can be threadedly secured to said container for storage and/or shipment without severing said second neck portion from said container.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said second neck portion upon being severed is threadedly secured and retained within said end cap, whereby said end cap can be threadedly removed from said container to permit the contents thereof to be dispensed and again threadedly affixed thereto to reseal said container.

5. The combination of claim 1, further including an annular cutting blade carried by said end cap and positioned therein to sever said second neck portion and said end closure on it when said end cap is screwed down to provide an opening in said container through which the contents thereof can be dispensed, said severed second neck portion and end closure being threadedly secured and retained within said end cap when the latter is removed.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein said end closure comprises an inverted cone-shaped tip, said end cap having a threaded bore extending therethrough axially aligned with said neck cavity therein for receiving said end closure, an annular cutting blade carried by said end cap and positioned therein to sever said secand neck portion and said end closure when said end cap is screwed down to provide an opening in said container through which the contents thereof can be dispensed, said second neck portion being threadedly secured and retained within said threaded bore, thereby sealing said container until said end cap is threadedly removed and being removed with said end cap when the latter is removed.

7. The combination of claim 6, further including an annular recessed groove outwardly of said annular cutting blade forming a sealing cavity, the top wall of said first neck portion being forcibly urged into said sealing cavity to seal said container against leakage when said end cap is screwed down.

8. The combination of claim 6, wherein said end closure is threadedly secured and retained within said end cap thereby permitting it to be removed therewith to permit the contents of said container to be placed therein or mixed with another product, the end cap to be replaced and the contents then dispensed through said cone-shaped tip by severing a portion of the latter. l= 

1. In combination, a thermoplastic container having a body portion, a first neck portion and a second neck portion integrally formed with said first neck portion and having an end closure on it which normally permanently seals said container, one of said first and second neck portions having fine threads on it and the other one thereof having coarse threads on it, an end cap threadedly secured to said container having a neck cavity with a finely threaded portion and a coarsely threaded portion in it for receiving said first and second neck portions, the construction being such that said second neck portion and said end closure on it are severed to provide an opening into said container when said end cap is screwed down.
 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said first and said second neck portions are coupled together with a reduced diameter neck portion integrally formed therewith, said reduced diameter neck portion being severed when said end cap is screwed down to sever said second neck portion from said first neck portion.
 3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said second neck portion is of a smaller diameter than said first neck portion and the portions of said neck cavity in said end cap receiving them are correspondingly sized, whereby said end cap can be threadedly secured to said container for storage and/or shipment without severing said second neck portion from said container.
 4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said second neck portion upon being severed is threadedly secured and retained within said end cap, whereby said end cap can be threadedly removed from said container to permit the contents thereof to be dispensed and again threadedly affixed thereto to reseal said container.
 5. The combination of claim 1, further including an annular cutting blade carried by said end cap and positioned therein to sever said second neck portion and said end closure on it when said end cap is screwed down to provide an opening in said container through which the contents thereof can be dispensed, said severed second neck portion and end closure being threadedly secured and retained within said end cap when the latter is removed.
 6. The combination of claim 1, wherein said end closure comprises an inverted cone-shaped tip, said end cap having a threaded bore extending therethrough axially aligned with said neck cavity therein for receiving said end closure, an annular cutting blade carried by said end cap and positioned therein to sever said second neck portion and said end closure when said end cap is screwed down to provide an opening in said container through which the contents thereof can be dispensed, said second neck portion being threadedly secured and retained within said threaded bore, thereby sealing said container until said end cap is threadedly removed and being removed with said end cap when the latter is removed.
 7. The combination of claim 6, further including an annular recessed groove outwardly of said annular cutting blade forming a sealing cavity, the top wall of said first neck portion being forcibly urged into said sealing cavity to seal said container against leakage when said end cap is screwed down.
 8. The combination of claim 6, wherein said end closure is threadedly secured and retained within said end cap thereby permitting it to be removed therewith to permit the contents of said container to be placed therein or mixed with another product, the end cap to be replaced and the contents then dispensed through said cone-shaped tip by severing a portion of the latter. 